Methods and systems for operating a virtual world

ABSTRACT

A virtual world is operated by an automated system, in which choices available to be made by avatars are assigned point values. As an avatar makes a choice, a corresponding point values is tabulated by the automated system in a record specific to that avatar, and an updated points total for the avatar is processed against predetermined definitions defined in quantitative terms for underlying qualitative concepts such as unhealthiness, non-renewable energy usage, wastefulness, etc. The automated system performs steps as a function of the avatar&#39;s points total, such as changing the avatar&#39;s appearance such as body weight representation, causing the avatar to have a heart attack, etc.

RELATED APPLICATION

This claims benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No.61/417,333 filed Nov. 26, 2010 by Chopra, Aggarwal and Townsend.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the Internet, more particularly to on-linevirtual worlds useable by multiple users via an avatar of each user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Thus far, there have been some virtual worlds and Internet-based gameson the Internet.

For a website on the Internet being operated by an entrepreneur, numberof visitors and time spent by each visitor on the website are importantparameters. One way that the “stickiness” to a website is increased isthrough use of creative applications that are entertaining and have abroad appeal to most audiences. Conversely, a virtual world that failsto entertain, or otherwise appeal to, users will be unlikely to developa base of users. Various technologies have been proposed in the patentliterature for virtual worlds, with some examples being:

-   US 2008/0070690 published Mar. 20, 2008 by van Luchene et al., for    “Credit cards in a virtual environment.”-   U.S. Pat. No. 7,775,885 issued Aug. 17, 2010 to Van Luchene et al.,    for “Event-driven alteration of avatars”.-   US 2010/0211892 published Aug. 19, 2010 by Fujioka, for “Widgetized    avatar . . . ”.-   U.S. Pat. No. 7,792,801 issued Sep. 7, 2010 to Hamilton, II et al.,    for “Controlling and using virtual universe wish lists.”-   U.S. Pat. No. 7,797,168 issued Sep. 14, 2010 to Kusumoto et al., for    “System and method for consumer-selected advertising and branding in    interactive media.”-   U.S. Pat. No. 7,818,183 issued Oct. 19, 2010 to Schoenberg, for    “Connecting consumers with service providers.”-   U.S. Pat. No. 7,824,253 issued Nov. 2, 2010 to Thompson et al., for    “System and method for providing real world value in a virtual world    environment.”

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention, in a first preferred embodiment, provides a method ofoperating a virtual world useable simultaneously by a plurality ofusers, each user controlling a respective avatar generated by a systemoperating the virtual world, comprising steps, performed by a computingdevice, of: for each avatar, maintaining at least one updatableunhealthfulness record that is expressed as a quantity, theunhealthfulness record being maintained privately by the system withoutdisplay to the user associated with the avatar; maintaining a tableincluding at least one avatar activity that can be done by an avatar,each avatar activity in the table having a predefined change to be madeto the quantity upon the activity being performed by the avatar;updating the unhealthfulness record as a function of activity by theavatar, according to the table, to a current quantity; comparing thecurrent quantity to a certain predefined value that is a restrictioncondition; and if the current quantity has reached the restrictioncondition, imposing on the avatar a heart attack or other negativemedical event, and/or other negative consequence, such as, e.g.,inventive methods that include receiving an initial indication of bodyweight from a user that characterizes the avatar controlled by the user;maintaining a body weight value for the avatar as an updatable record;and tracking activity of the avatar and updating the updatable bodyweight value for the avatar based on activity of the avatar; and otherinventive methods.

In another preferred embodiment, the invention provides a method ofoperating a virtual world useable simultaneously by a plurality ofusers, each user controlling a respective avatar, comprising steps,performed by a computing device, of: (A) maintaining a table comprisingat least one restriction condition, wherein each restriction conditionis expressed in terms of a quantity and the quantity is tabulated by thesystem as a function of one or more activities in which the avatar hasengaged and which are defined by the system as, when performed by anavatar, having a certain predefined contribution to the quantity beingtabulated for a certain restriction condition; (B) for an avatar who hasengaged in activity that is linked to a certain restriction condition,computing a record for the avatar that is a computed quantity whichcomputed quantity is comparable to the quantity of the restrictioncondition, and screening for whether an avatar has reached therestriction condition; (C) for an avatar that has met the restrictioncondition, restricting the avatar according to a restriction, whereinthe restriction is selected from the group consisting of: excluding theavatar from accessing certain parts of the virtual world; changing size,changing shape, or otherwise changing an appearance of the avatar withthe appearance-change being only updatable by the system operating thevirtual world not by the user associated with the avatar; imposing aslow-down on the avatar or otherwise changing a capability of the avatarin a negative direction with the capability-change being only updatableby the system operating the virtual world not by the user associatedwith the avatar; subjecting the avatar to a heart attack or othernegative health event; and combinations thereof, such as, e.g.,inventive methods that include storing for each avatar an updatablerecord for each restriction condition that indicates a quantityattributed to the avatar that is comparable to the quantity of therestriction condition; inventive methods wherein an avatar has a currentappearance, and upon the avatar being found to have met a certaindefined restriction condition, the system operating the virtual worldalters the current appearance to a changed appearance; inventive methodsthat include: receiving an initial indication of body weight from a userfor characterizing the avatar controlled by the user; maintaining a bodyweight value for the avatar as an updatable record; and trackingactivity of the avatar and updating the updatable body weight value forthe avatar based on activity of the avatar; inventive methods thatinclude receiving a real-world photograph from the user to be associatedwith the avatar in the virtual world; inventive methods that includemeanwhile permitting the user to manipulate certain features of theappearance of the avatar, while blocking the user from undoing anyrestriction condition that is in force to the user's avatar; inventivemethods that include giving the user access to manipulate clothing andhairstyle appearance of the avatar, but meanwhile maintaining size,shape and health-related appearance of the avatar as non-manipulable bythe user; and other inventive methods.

In another preferred embodiment, the invention provides a method ofoperating a virtual world, comprising steps, performed by a computingdevice, of: operating in the virtual world at least one virtual businesswhich offers for purchase at least one purchasable product or servicethat is offered for purchase by an avatar in the virtual world and thatwhen purchased by an avatar in the virtual world is delivered in thereal world; such as, e.g., inventive methods that include receiving avirtual-world purchase instruction as submitted by an avatar, andprocessing the purchase instruction to cause delivery of the purchasedgood or service in the real-world to the real-world user represented bythe avatar or to a real-world recipient designated by the avatar;inventive methods that include receiving a real-world credit cardauthorization at an initial time substantially in advance of thevirtual-world purchase instruction, and associating the real-worldcredit card authorization with the avatar (such as, e.g., receiving acredit limit instruction to be enforced for the avatar when the avatarsubsequently submits a purchase instruction); and other inventivemethods.

The invention in another preferred embodiment provides a method ofreceiving and filling purchase orders, comprising steps, performed by acomputing device, of: constructing a virtual world including at leastone virtual business which offers for purchase at least one purchasableproduct or service that is offered for purchase by an avatar in thevirtual world and that when purchased by an avatar in the virtual worldis delivered outside the virtual world, in a real world delivery; andvia the virtual business, receiving a purchase order by an avatar; andprocessing the avatar's purchase order and causing the real worlddelivery, such as, e.g., inventive methods that include causing thereal-world shipment and delivery of real-world goods; inventive methodsthat include causing the real-world provision of real-world services;and other inventive methods.

Another preferred inventive embodiment provides a method of receivingand filling purchase orders, comprising steps, performed by a computingdevice, of: operating a virtual world including at least one virtualbusiness which offers for purchase at least one purchasable product orservice that is offered for purchase by an avatar in the virtual worldand that when purchased by an avatar in the virtual world is deliveredoutside the virtual world, in a real world delivery; and via the virtualbusiness, receiving a purchase order by an avatar; and before fillingthe purchase order by the avatar, screening for a health status or othernon-financial status of the avatar in records maintained by the systembased on the avatar's activity in the virtual world; such as, e.g.,inventive methods that include denying the avatar purchasing privilegesas a function of the avatar having met a certain restriction condition,the certain restriction condition being non-financial; inventive methodsthat include denial of purchasing privileges to an avatar who had arecent heart attack or other health problem in the virtual world;inventive methods that include, after screening the health status orother non-financial status of the avatar, rewarding the avatar with areal-world discount or other reward having real-world value; and otherinventive methods.

The invention in another preferred embodiment provides a method ofoperating a virtual world, comprising steps, performed by a computingdevice, of: issuing a credit card to an avatar with a certain creditlimit, wherein the credit card is useable by the avatar to accomplish areal-world transaction.

In another preferred embodiment, the invention provides a method ofoperating a virtual world useable simultaneously by a plurality ofusers, each user controlling a respective avatar, comprising steps,performed by a computing device, of: maintaining a table comprising atleast one restriction condition, wherein each restriction condition isexpressed in terms of a quantity and the quantity is tabulated by thesystem as a function of one or more activities in which the avatar hasengaged and which are defined by the system as, when performed by anavatar, having a certain predefined contribution to the quantity beingtabulated for a certain restriction condition; for each avatar,maintaining an updatable record for each restriction condition; for atleast one activity in which avatars may engage and which is linked to arestriction condition, tracking whether an avatar engaged in thatactivity, and if so, updating the updatable record for the avatar;screening for whether an avatar has met a certain restriction condition;and for an avatar that has met the certain restriction condition,restricting the avatar according to a restriction for the certainrestriction condition, such as, e.g., inventive methods in which therestriction condition is selected from the group consisting of: acondition that is a definition of an avatar controlled by the userhaving engaged in an unhealthy consumption of food or alcohol, and uponfinding that a user has met the condition, performing a restriction forthe user; an anti-obesity condition that is a definition of an avatarcontrolled by the user in the virtual world consuming more than acertain amount of calories within a certain period of time; a DrivingWhile Intoxicated (“DWI”) condition that is a definition of an avatarcontrolled by a user in the virtual world attempting to operate avehicle after having consumed more than a certain quantity of alcoholwithin a certain recent time period; inventive methods that includestoring for each avatar an updatable record for each restrictioncondition that indicates a quantity attributed to the avatar that iscomparable to the quantity of the restriction condition; inventivemethods wherein an avatar has a current appearance, and upon the avatarbeing found to have met a certain defined restriction condition, thesystem operating the virtual world alters the current appearance to achanged appearance; inventive methods that include receiving an initialindication of body weight from a user for characterizing the avatarcontrolled by the user; maintaining a body weight value for the avataras an updatable record; and tracking activity of the avatar and updatingthe updatable body weight value for the avatar based on activity of theavatar; inventive methods including meanwhile permitting the user tomanipulate certain features of the appearance of the avatar; and otherinventive methods.

The invention in another preferred embodiment provides a method ofoperating a virtual world useable simultaneously by a plurality ofusers, comprising steps, performed by a computing device, of: permittingat least one user to have access to a part of the virtual world havingan underlying opportunity for the user to be awarded a Virtual Reward;processing activity by the user in the virtual world for whether acondition for the user to be awarded the Virtual Reward has been met,and, upon the condition to be awarded the Virtual Reward being found tohave been met by the user, awarding the Virtual Reward to the user whomet the condition; maintaining a table in which, for the Virtual Rewardthat is awardable in the virtual world, a corresponding Tangible Reward,if any, is linked thereto; and after the Virtual Reward has been awardedto the user, if the Virtual Reward is linked to a Tangible Reward,communicating to the user instructions information describing how theuser can take possession of the Tangible Reward; such as, e.g.,inventive methods wherein a description of a certain Virtual Rewardand/or of the Tangible Reward associated therewith is not communicatedto the user in advance of the user being awarded the Virtual Reward;inventive methods a description of what activity is required by the userto be awarded the Virtual Reward is not explicitly communicated to theuser by the system operating the virtual world in advance of the userbeing awarded the Virtual Reward; inventive methods wherein the virtualworld includes a virtual presence associated with a trademark, whereinthe virtual presence has been authorized by an owner of the trademark,and wherein the method includes in-taking from the trademark owner or anauthorized party (1) a machine-readable definition of a condition to metto award a Virtual Reward that relates to the trademark and (2) amachine-readable definition of a Tangible Reward to be associated withthe Virtual Reward; inventive methods receiving payment from a trademarkowner or other business customer in connection with a package of aVirtual Reward and an associated Tangible Reward being operated for acertain time period in the virtual world; and other inventive methods.

The invention in another preferred embodiment provides a method ofoperating a virtual world, comprising steps, performed by a computingdevice, of: processing a transaction by an avatar in which the avatarrequests a virtual loan from another avatar.

Also the invention in another preferred embodiment provides a method ofoperating a virtual world, comprising steps, performed by a computingdevice, of: receiving a vouching-for assistance a first avatar and/or bya vouching user associated with a first avatar, in which the vouchinguser vouches for a second avatar associated with a different user; andduring a time period of the vouching, for activity by the second avatarthat gives rise to accumulation of any disadvantage points towards arestriction condition, accessing the points against the first avatar orotherwise making an unfavorable update of a record of the first avatar;such as, e.g., inventive methods wherein the vouching is for a timeselected from the group consisting of: a fixed number of the next hoursof play by the second avatar; a time as measured by real-world time; anopen-ended time until a certain threshold is met by the second avatarsuch that the vouching expires; and other inventive methods.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be appreciated with reference to the attached figures,without the invention being limited thereto:

FIG. 1 is an exemplary flow chart of inventive steps performed by anautomated system operating a virtual world, for an avatar An that hasaccess to the virtual world.

FIG. 2 is an example of a inventive table 200 that may be used forpracticing the inventive updating step 102 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an example of a sample screen 300 from an inventive virtualworld in which an avatar is offered optional consumption choices whichare tabled in a table 200 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary flow chart that may be used by an automatedsystem operating a virtual world in connection with a comparing step 104in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an example of a sample screen 500, later in time than FIG. 3,corresponding to an inventive automated system practicing an exemplaryinventive imposing step 412 of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The invention in a preferred embodiment provides the methods ofoperating a virtual world, with the method steps being performed bycomputers, processors, or other machines. Preferably the steps of theinventive methods are performed by an automated system comprising one ormore processors, computers or other machines that perform the methodsteps. Inventive methods preferably include permitting at least one user(preferably multiple users) to have access to the virtual world whereinthe user in the form of an avatar controlled by the user navigates thevirtual world. Preferably, the virtual world is useable simultaneouslyby a plurality of users with each user having an avatar.

We believe that we are using terms according to their common usageregarding Internet websites and virtual worlds.

When we refer herein to an “avatar”, we mean the on-screen visual imagethat is controlled by a “user” and that can engage in virtual activitiesin a virtual world. An avatar optionally may have a voice.

When we refer herein to “restriction”, we mean the processing of theautomated system that operates the virtual world that can be executedagainst a particular avatar which is intended to be consideredundesirable or restrictive by the user operating the avatar. Examples ofa “restriction” are, e.g., excluding the avatar from accessing certainparts of the virtual world; changing the appearance of an avatar withthe appearance-change being only updatable by the system operating thevirtual world not by the user associated with the avatar; changing acapability of the avatar in a negative direction with thecapability-change being only updatable by the system operating thevirtual world not by the user associated with the avatar; subjecting theavatar to a heart attack or other negative health event; involuntarylogging-off the avatar and the user associated therewith; blocking theuser associated with the avatar from logging-in; and combinationsthereof.

When we refer herein to a “restriction condition”, we refer to possibleactivity by an avatar that is susceptible to a definition inquantitative terms and that is computed and updated by a processor orcomputing device, for whether the avatar's activity has reached anumerical value at which a restriction of the avatar's activity will beimposed by the automated system. Preferably a restriction condition,which is a quantitative definition, is defined in connection with aqualitative value or principle (such as, e.g., a qualitative valueregarding unhealthy food consumption; a qualitative value regardingconsumption of non-renewal energy; etc.) underlying the virtual worldavailable to the avatars. Examples of a restriction condition are, e.g.,a restriction condition that is a definition of an avatar controlled bythe user having engaged in an unhealthy consumption of food or alcohol,and upon finding that a user has met the condition, performing arestriction for the user; an anti-obesity restriction condition that isa definition of an avatar controlled by the user in the virtual worldconsuming more than a certain amount of calories within a certain periodof time; a DWI restriction condition that is a definition of an avatarcontrolled by a user in the virtual world attempting to operate avehicle after having consumed more than a certain quantity of alcoholwithin a certain recent time period; etc.

When we refer herein to a “user”, we mean a human such as a human who iscontrolling an avatar.

When we refer herein to a “visitor” or “visitors”, such as a visitor toa cyber-resort, we mean an avatar. Below where we refer to “visitors”,we also mean a “visitor” singly, namely, that multiple visitors eachvisitor operated by a respective user may be using the virtual world.

Referring to FIG. 1, the invention may be practiced by an automatedsystem, for an Avatar An where “n” uniquely designates one of aplurality of avatars in a virtual world, maintaining (100) anunhealthfulness record Rn for the Avatar An; updating (102) theunhealthfulness record Rn wherein the updating is done as a function ofactivity by the Avatar An and the updated record is R′n; and comparing(104) the updated record Rn′ to a restriction condition. Theunhealthfulness record Rn is expressed as a quantity that can beprocessed (such as, e.g., increased, decreased, and compared to anotherquantity) by an automated system. Preferably the unhealthfulness recordRn is maintained privately by the automated system without display ofthe record Rn to the user n associated with the Avatar An.

In one embodiment, points are added to the unhealthfulness record forhealthy choices by the avatar, so that a high positive points scorerepresents health. In another embodiment, points are subtracted from theunhealthfulness record for unhealthy choices by the avatar, so that alower score represents worse health. Choices by avatar An are used toupdate the corresponding unhealthfulness record Rn for that avatar An.That is, in a system with two avatars, A1 and A2, the unhealthfulnessrecord R1 for avatar A1 is updated based on Avatar A1's choices, and theunhealthfulness record R2 for avatar A2 is updated based on Avatar A2'schoices.

The updating of the respective unhealthfulness records for the universeof avatars A1 . . . An is done based on a table, such as table 200 inFIG. 2. Table 200 (FIG. 2) is an illustration, in which each avatarchoice 201 has a corresponding point value 202, such as an avatar choice201 of “consumed 2.001” (such as “consumed soda” or “consumednon-renewable energy”) corresponds to a points value of −2; an avatarchoice 201 of “consumed 2.002” (such as “consumed organic fruitsmoothy”) corresponds to a points value of +2; and an avatar choice 201of “consumed 2.003” (such as “consumed hamburger”) corresponds to apoints value of −2. If and when an avatar An performs one of theactivities that are tabled as avatar choices 201 in the table 200, theautomated system uses the points value 202 from the table 200 to updatethe record Rn for the avatar An, to a current unhealthfulness recordR′n. The examples for avatar choice 201 in FIG. 2 are only illustrative,as are the corresponding points values 202. In FIG. 2, avatar choices201 are shown as consumption choices, which is illustrative, and avatarchoices 201 may be non-consumption choices.

The avatar choices 201 in table 200, such as a choice to consume certainoptional consumables 2.001, 2.002, 2.003 available to the avatarcorrespond to features coded into the virtual world and which the usermay select for the avatar optionally to do. For example, the optionalconsumables 2.001, 2.002 and 2.003 in table 200 preferably are depictedin the virtual world in a visual, life-like representation, such as, ina case where optional consumables 2.001, 2.002 and 2.003 arerespectively a soda, an organic fruit smoothy and a hamburger, in alife-like visual display of a menu or menu board 301 (FIG. 3) includingwords and/or images for soda, fruit smoothy and hamburger which anavatar An such as avatar A1 (FIG. 3) may opt to consume.

Once the record Rn for an avatar An has been updated to R′n, the updatedR′n, which is a numerical quantity, is compared (104) to a certainpredefined value maintained by the automated system (which is arestriction condition). As shown further in FIG. 4, the automated systemin the comparing step 104 (FIG. 1) determines (400) whether Rn′ is abovea restriction, and if Rn′ is found to, YES (410), be above therestriction condition, the automated system operating the virtual worldimposes (412) a negative event or consequence on Avatar An correspondingto record Rn'. For example, when the current quantity that is R′n hasreached the restriction condition, the automated system executes a stepagainst the avatar An such as, e.g., imposing (412) on the avatar An aheart attack or other negative medical event, and/or other negativeconsequences. When the automated system imposes (412) a heart attack orother negative medical event on an avatar An due to its updatedunhealthfulness record R′n, preferably the imposition step is such thata user controlling the avatar An and/or other users would be likely tologically make a casual link between the choice 201 by the avatar An andthe avatar An's having had a heart attack or other negative event. Whenthe automated system imposes (412) a heart attack or other negativemedical event or negative consequence on an avatar, preferably theautomated system causes a sequence of steps to be performed whichcorrespond to visual images of the negatively-affected avatar (such asavatar A1 in screen 500 in FIG. 5) being seen by at least the usercontrolling the avatar against which the imposing step 412 is beingperformed, and optionally also by other users.

Advantageously the invention provides a method for maintaining andprocessing data for a plurality of avatars in a virtual world, with theprocessing directed to determining when a heart attack or other negativemedical event is to be imposed by the automated system operating thevirtual world upon a particular avatar. Advantageously the inventivemethods can be used to make users think about possible consequences ofcertain consumption choices (such as, e.g., food consumption choices,fuel consumption choices, etc.).

In another embodiment, an updatable record Rn that is the subject of themaintaining step 100 (FIG. 1) performed by the automated systemoperating the virtual world is a body weight value for the avatar An,and the automated system tracks activity of the avatar An (such as,e.g., consumption by the avatar An and exercise by the avatar An) andupdates the body weight value for the avatar An based on the activity ofthe avatar. When the record of the updated body weight value of theavatar An reaches a certain predetermined value, such as a restrictioncondition, the automated system causes the visual image of the avatar tobe modified. For example, an avatar An that has accumulated a certainamount of points from consuming sodas and hamburgers but that hasengaged in little or no exercise during a certain period of time mayhave its visual image changed in a direction of being somewhatheavier-set, with further weight-change of the visual image being onlysubject to being made by the automated system and not by the userassociated with the avatar. Preferably the automated system makesweight-gain changes incrementally. Preferably when the automated systemadds weight to an avatar's visual image, the fit of garments worn by theavatar is adjusted in a non-fitting direction such as popped buttons,ripped seams, etc.

In defining a restriction condition, which is a quantity against whichupdated respective records for a plurality of avatars will be compared,preferably the value assigned to a restriction condition (which will beused by the system to determine whether to impose a restriction upon theavatar) is defined considering the point values 202 that will accruethrough avatar choices 201.

Although an inventive virtual world may be operated using a singlerestriction condition, preferably a plurality of restriction conditionsare used for operating the virtual world. To do so, preferably a tableof at least one restriction condition is constructed, with eachrestriction condition in the table expressed in terms of a quantity,namely, a quantity that can be tabulated by the system as a function ofone or more activities in which a respective avatar has engaged. Forexample, if activity of an avatar An is tracked and assessed pointsaccording to a table like table 200 (FIG. 2), each restriction conditionin the table of restriction conditions is expressed in points.Preferably, points related to food consumption are tracked separatelyfrom points related to non-renewable energy usage. In a casecorresponding to table 200 (FIG. 2) in which the avatar choices are foodconsumption choices, an example of multiple restriction conditions in atable is, e.g., a first restriction condition defined at −50food-consumption points, a second restriction condition defined at −100food-consumption points, and a third restriction condition defined at−150 food consumption points, and when an avatar An hits −50 points, theautomated system changes the visual image of the avatar to add someweight and make its clothes a little tight, when the avatar An hits −100points, the automated system repeats the weight-adding andclothes-tightening and further imposes a slow-down on the avatar, andwhen the avatar An hits −150 points, the automated system imposes aheart attack on the avatar An. This is but an illustrative example.

Examples of a restriction that can be imposed on an avatar as performedby an automated system include, e.g., excluding the avatar fromaccessing certain parts of the virtual world; changing size, changingshape, or otherwise changing an appearance of the avatar with theappearance-change being only updatable by the system operating thevirtual world not by the user associated with the avatar; imposing aslow-down on the avatar or otherwise changing a capability of the avatarin a negative direction with the capability-change being only updatableby the system operating the virtual world not by the user associatedwith the avatar; subjecting the avatar to a heart attack or othernegative health event; combinations thereof; etc.

It will be appreciated that a restriction condition, which is anumerical quantity, can be defined for various situations that thoseconstructing (or updating) the automated system that operates thevirtual world may find pertinent or may want to influence, such asunhealthy consumption of food; unhealthy consumption of alcohol;obesity; DWI; usage of non-renewable energy; etc.

Optional but preferable features of a virtual world used in theinvention are as follows. Preferably, the virtual world includes atleast one piece of real estate that is sponsored by a real-worldbusiness.

A preferred step when operating a virtual world according to theinvention is to include operating a framework in which a plurality ofavatars have dating, friendship and/or professional networking and/orother social interactions therebetween.

Optionally, the automated system operating the virtual world may permiteach user to set definitions of which other avatars and their associatedusers will be permitted to see the user's avatar.

Preferably, the invention is practiced with a step wherein the automatedsystem operating the virtual worlds receives a real-world photographfrom the user to be associated with the avatar in the virtual world.

Preferably, a virtual world includes at least one virtual business whichoffers for purchase at least one purchasable product or service that isoffered for purchase by an avatar and that, when purchased by the avatarin the virtual world, the automated system operating the virtual worldprocesses the avatar's purchase so that what has been purchased by theavatar is actually delivered in the real world. Such an avatar-shoppingfeature may be incorporated in, e.g., a virtual world operated with orwithout use of restriction conditions; a virtual world operated with orwithout maintenance of unhealthfulness records; an existing virtualworld; etc.

The invention may be appreciated by the following examples, without theinvention being limited thereto.

Example 1 A Virtual World

This inventive example is interactive, web-based and operates inreal-time. Innovations are combined to provide users of the website apositive experience, across a range of ages, nationalities, ethnicity,language, and race of users.

This example uses a stand-alone website on the Internet with its owndomain name, accessible by users over the Internet. Optionally thewebsite can be accessed by following a hyperlink. For maximizing thenumber of users, more than one access option can be in usesimultaneously.

The virtual world preferably includes a storefront that is visitable byusers (such as visitable by an avatar controlled by a user), wherein thestorefront depicted in the virtual world may or may not correspond to areal-world business. When a storefront is used, preferably there is alsopracticed a step in which is performed tracking traffic of users to thestorefront including tabulating number of visits by users and number ofcoupons obtained by users.

Below where we refer to “visitors”, we also mean a “visitor” singly.

Example 1A

We call this example “Organic Living”, which may be a web-based,virtual-world game or a software application, having the dual purpose ofentertaining and educating its audience.

The game in this example is a cyber-representation of a real worldscenario in which a family, a couple, or group of friends or anindividual go on holiday or vacation at a resort or theme park. In thisresort, these individuals engage in all the fun activities as would beexpected but for each of those activities, the individual will have achoice to make among healthy/organic lifestyle options, “normal”lifestyle or a lifestyle that may be detrimental to their health or theenvironment. For example, when the family eats in a restaurant, they canorder meals with all organic ingredients or “normal” ingredients. Evenif they are ordering from “normal” ingredients, they can ordervegetarian or a low-calories seafood diet, or steak or hamburger. Basedon choices made, the player accumulates points. The more the playersplay the game, they accumulate more points. Then, the players areentitled to real and tangible benefits from the website's sponsors.Options such as a vacation get-away package, airline tickets, or couponsto a restaurant or clothing discounts might be the selection earned bythe players.

Key features of the game in this example are as follows.

Example 1B A Well-Organized Resort

Like any popular resort or a theme park (like Disneyland), the variouscomponents of the resort and the activities are well organized and laidout. The game includes a colorful, well-planned visually appealing guidemap of the resort as the launch page, with the guide map being like theguide map received at a resort like Club Med, a theme park like SixFlags, or Epcot Center. All the planned activities for that particularday are published in a tabular format, similar to what is received on acruise line like Carnival or at a cultural resort like ColonialWilliamsburg.

When the user places his cursor over a certain section of the guide map,the name of the activity is shown. If the user right clicks on thatcomponent, details or features of that activity are shown. If the userleft clicks on that component, the user progress to engage in thatactivity.

For example, if a user places the cursor on the picture of a GiantWheel, “Giant Wheel” or a complete name like “The Great OrgLiv GiantWheel” is displayed. If the user right clicks on the picture, the priceper ride is shown along with other detailed facts like whether the nextride is powered by hydrocarbon-based fuels and when the nextsolar-powered/renewal-energy sourced power will be available. Based onthis information, the user can double left click on that Giant Wheel andenjoy the ride or choose to do something else and come back to therenewable-energy powered ride.

The choice of going on the Giant Wheel now or waiting for a few minutesto go on a renewal-energy powered ride, epitomizes a philosophy to beimbued in the mind of the players, especially, impressionable youngerplayers from age 6 to 25. The choice between going on ahydrocarbon-based ride versus a renewable energy-based ride, may meancompromising in terms of time (such as, e.g., a longer waiting periodfor a renewable-energy based ride), money (e.g., renewable-energy basedride may be more expensive), or getting more points (e.g., the playersmaking the “right” choices as defined by the website operator arerewarded with extra points).

Example 1C Marketplace

The marketplace is a cyber representation of a real-world marketplaceincluding merchants such as grocery stores, department stores, financialinstitutions, and restaurants. In addition, some hotels can be in thegeneral marketplace area.

The marketplace is an important feature of this example because theindividual stores in this cyber-world marketplace are sponsored by theirreal world representative counterparts, and hence, might even carry thesame name. For example, in the marketplace, there preferably is agrocery store specializing in selling organic food. Upon the websiteoperators obtaining an agreement with, e.g., Whole Foods or TraderJoe's, a grocery store in the marketplace would have the same name.Similarly, the hotels in the marketplace may be called, e.g., Marriottor Sheraton, depending on the sponsors. The sponsorship in themarketplace or any other cyber-representation in the game is a revenuegenerating operation for the game. The companies sponsoring them areafforded an opportunity to advertise and reinforce their brand names,and also ways to sell real world goods or cyber goods.

Example 1D Resort Guides

To help navigate the various sections of the game, the user is provideda choice of three guides: An American guide, a Chinese guide and a SouthAsian guide. The three guides are strategically chosen to reflect theusers from various geographical areas of the world with maximum Internetuse and to establish a social rapport and a sense of familiarity withthe users.

The resort guide helps the users navigate through the game, and alsohelps build the brand of the game. Therefore, it is very important thatthe guides are very carefully designed and should be very likeable andamiable—similar to Mickey Mouse for Disneyland.

To make things as realistic as possible, the resort guides will use acertain vernacular suitable to and consistent with the nationality/raceof the guide and that appeals to the audience belonging to thatbackground. Preferably thorough research on the linguistic aspect isdone and incorporated in the game design.

Example 1E The Resort

The following attractions are part of the resort in this example: scaryrides, horseback riding, hiking (trails), turtle farm, plants of thefuture (similar to the one shown in Epcot), swimming, beach activity(building a castle, burying in the sand, surfing, getting a tan, beachvolleyball), spas, and golf.

Example 1F Workflow—Holistic Centric

In this example, when people come to the resort, they are picked up bybuses running on compressed natural gas (CNG). After their arrival atthe resort, their identification is checked and depending on theintended duration of their stay, they are granted a visa. The choicesare for 3 days, 5 days, 7 days, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 6 months, 1year, 5 years and 15 years. The first-time attendees can stay for amaximum of 7 days. Based on a user's history (number of pointsaccumulated) during the last visit, a user is eligible to stay at theresort for an extended duration.

The point of arrival for all players is the hub where people arrive fromfaraway places. The hub is where people get processed for their visasand buy their tickets. All first time visitors get the same number ofpoints at no charge.

After the visitors check-in at the hub, they have a choice of eithergoing to an island via a water ride or staying at the resort. All thehotels are either in the resort or on the island. Some of the hotels inthe resort are less expensive or more expensive, depending on theamenities they offer. In addition, visitors, based on their energy usagepattern (solar/wind versus non-renewable sources) accumulate points.Hotels using solar or wind energy offer more points.

The visitors who are staying at the resort have to contribute to thegrowth of the resort in a number of ways, i.e., by helping to createjobs or volunteering their time to the well being of the residents.Based on their contribution, the visitors will accumulate additionalpoints. The more points the visitors accumulate, the more privilegesthey will earn, such as extending their stay at the resort. Visitorswith good records and higher numbers of points are eligible to stay forlonger periods beyond six months and can be granted a work visa so theycan accumulate more points. Eventually, they can choose to becomeresidents of the resorts and can buy a cottage or other pieces of realestate using their points or actual money or a combination of the two.

Throughout their stay at the resort, the visitors will participate indaily activities that they would normally do when they are on realvacation. The only difference is that the visitors are encouraged toparticipate in holistic activities through the point system describedbelow.

Example 1G The Point System to Affect People's Behavior

The point system is an important behavior modification methodology thatcan reinforce certain kinds of behavior and social patterns at theresort. This resort is a cyber representation of utopia with its ownrules and forms of governance. In this example, the object of game, fromthe perspective of the operators of the virtual world, is to attract asmany visitors to the resort (i.e., the website) as possible, so thatrevenues are maximized based on number of ad clicks or sponsorships.However, in this example, the resort is not open for everybody and theresort is operated under the assumption that it is a privilege (not aright) for people to return to the resort. For people engaged inquestionable activities and who are short of the requisite number ofpoints, they will have an opportunity to buy additional points (usingreal money) or receive points from their friends and family. However,that privilege will go only to a certain point—for people who are reallyshort of points will not be able to buy points and may be banished fromthe resort for a certain period of time or permanently.

Example 1H Types of Activities

Some non-limiting representative examples are as follows.

Restaurants: Just as any tourists will eat out at a restaurant, thevisitors to the resort will be presented a number of dining choices.Based on their decisions, the visitors will accumulate or lose points.For example, if the visitors are eating at fast food restaurants and arechoosing hamburger, French fries and soda, they will lose points,compared to people having an organic salad and organic carrot juice.Children choosing organic oatmeal with organic non-fat milk or organicsoy milk will accumulate higher points than kids choosing to eat cheeseomelets with bacon.

Hotels: Visitors are presented a choice of hotels. Those visitors whochoose to stay at hotels that follow environmental-friendly practiceswill accumulate more points.

Rental Cars: Visitors to the resort who take public transportation orrent electric/hybrid cars will accumulate more points than peoplechoosing to rent traditional cars. Visitors choosing gas guzzlers andSUV's will lose points because of the impact on the environment.

Choice of Clothing: At the check-in and after the visitors have clearedthe hub, they are given an identity card where they can upload theirpicture. An animated picture is created based on the photograph. Theusers will have a choice of clothing to dress their character. If thevisitors choose to use organic cotton, they will accumulate more pointscompared to other types of clothes.

Hunting: This is a representative activity that in this example is wellregulated and enforced. Activities like this will have a place on thecyber-resort, however, the participants choosing to engage in activitylike this or in similar activities may lose points rapidly if theirbehavior or practices are harmful (i.e., maiming an animal and notkilling it because of poor marksmanship). The participants may acquirepoints for expert marksmanship and “wild game” donations to soupkitchens and the needy.

Horseback Riding: The visitors will have an opportunity to make aninformed decision as to which enterprise they will participate. One ofthe businesses may advertise itself as friendlier toward animals at theexpense of slightly higher prices. Visitors choosing to go to thesebusinesses will accumulate more points. The software implementation isbased on research to determine the best practices in this or other typesof businesses.

Bowling: Here is an example of seemingly innocuous activity wheremultiple businesses may operate the same way with similar pricestructure. However, the choice a visitor to the resort makes in pickinga bowling alley may get him or her additional points if they pick aplace that offers healthier choices on its menu (supporting holisticlifestyle) as opposed to one that just offers pizza, fries and icecream. Similar criterion are applied to other establishments such asmovie theaters, grocery stores, shopping malls, etc.

Example 11 Social Networking and Visual Representation of Real Life forVisitors

Even though the primary purpose of the resort is to impart toimpressionable minds some of the benefits of organic living, ecologicaland salubrious activities (like Yoga, walking, exercise), in making thisgame very similar to real life this game also is a powerful tool fordeveloping a social networking site.

In this example, all visitors to the site have an opportunity to uploadtheir picture. The software engine converts the real life picture to ananimated picture. The visitors have an opportunity to drag the pictureinto any activity in which they want to participate. For example, if thevisitors are renting a car, they can drag their animated picture and putit in the car. Or if they are going into a disco, they can drag theirpicture and put it inside. The visitor is able to see other people (eachwith real animated picture) walking around or dancing in the disco. Theuser has a choice of what image to show the public—the user can chooseto show the animated picture, real picture, or a generic animation(almost like being masked). This transition can be made any time duringtheir visit by right-clicking on their own image and choosing among thethree options.

The users also have an opportunity to take their image and modify it alittle bit by changing the hair style or in case of men, adding facialhair like moustache or beard. Software tools on the website allow suchchanges to be made.

For visitors whose gender is made known, they also have a choice of thedresses or attire that they (i.e. their cyber-persona) will wear duringtheir stay or on a particular day. The software allows the visitors topick and choose the style and fabric of the dresses or other attire.Again, like most activities on the resort, people choosing dresses madeof organic cotton will get more points.

Example 1J A Fun Real-Life-Like Experience for the Users Operating theAvatars which are Visitors to a Dance Club

In this example, the virtual world includes a dance club. The visitorsto the club are walking around, dressed in their fashionable costumesthat they have chosen to wear. They can see faces (real or animated) ofother people visiting the club. At the club, healthy drinks (organicfruit smoothies), organic juices and sodas are served. People (over 21)have a choice of buying alcoholic drinks but that choice will depreciatetheir points based on the type and number of drinkers. Drinkers oforganic smoothies will get the maximum points.

At the virtual-world dance club, adults have an opportunity to meetother adults, just like in real life. The visitors can play to visit theclub along with their friends by marking their scheduler/planner andsending an invite to their friends. If a user likes someone at the club,the user's avatar can make a request to chat with them; the recipienthas a chance to accept or turn down the request. Visitors can alsochoose to leave the club, become masked (i.e. use a generic face) ormark as ‘do not disturb’.

In this example, the invention provides a comprehensive unifiedreal-life-like scenario that not only promotes a healthy life style butalso is like a virtual reality version of the real-world.

In this example, no obscenity or objectionable material is allowed onthe website.

Example 1K Game

This example includes the following features of an inventive game,virtual-world or website.

A Virtual Reality for Real Life Activities: A comprehensive plan isprovided for a virtual reality snapshot of numerous life-like activitiesunder one integrated platform.

An Organic and Holistic Lifestyle: This example improves uponconventional isolated attempts to motivate kids with farming activitiesor healthy eating habits. This is a comprehensive platform thatencompasses a wide range of activities such as travel/tourism, lifestyle (fashion, dressing), eating (choices of healthy versus junkfood/fast food), entertainment (cyber-representation of danceclubs/disco), social networking (with visual representation, allowingstrangers and friends to meet at public places like restaurants,streets, dance clubs, gymnasium, yoga studio, dance classes, and evendoctors).

A Point System of Rewards: This example includes a mechanism forrewarding visitors to the site where they will get additional points bychoosing good activities. The point system can be used to penalize youngadults (under 18) for using too much profanity or anyone attempting tobuy alcohol. In an optional additional bait system, law enforcementpersonnel dress up as other visitors and offer to buy people alcohol ordrugs. If visitors fall for the trap, they are fined and given awarning. If after three warnings, they still exhibit the same behavior,they are ejected from the site and blocked from entering again (at leastusing the same ID), even if they attempt to pay using real money or getpoints from their friends. The system is designed to penalize friendswho vouch for violating participants who become repeat offenders.

This system of earning points and the inability to re-renter the resorteven if the visitor agrees to spend money is an important feature.Important social-ties (peer pressure) that can help shape behavior areembedded in the possibility of penalties for the friends who seek tosave the participating status of a peer. This system not only carriesthe message that the game's operators stand behind certain principles,but also allows the website to become a totally commercial profit-makingoperation, based in part on personal connection between people.

A Visual Social Network Representing Real Life Experience: Just as inreal life, people develop healthy relationships by following commonactivities where they can see and communicate with other people, andjust as in schools, colleges, and places of work, people developfriendship by getting to know other people's behaviors, habits, andtheir responses to challenges, similarly, in this example, the gameoffers an overall encompassing umbrella under which many socialactivities take place. This allows plenty of opportunities for friendsto participate in activities together but also to be able to makefriends/acquaintances with other strangers. The point system ensuresthat visitors do not let the game deteriorate to a level that deviatesfrom a primary purpose underlying the game—to drive people toward good,healthy habits in the cyberspace, which the inventors believe willeventually have an impact on real life.

This example includes a visual representation of visitors with theiractual faces or animated pictures. This example also includes theability to participate in fun activities like dancing, where the usercan see the actual images (animated or pictures) of the user's friendsand other people (including strangers). From a social networkingperspective, visitors to the site are able to judge each other based ontheir looks, dressing style (of which the visitors have control), andtypes of activities participated-in. A life-like representation of howpeople meet in the real world is provided.

Noble Goal and Educational Impact: This game offers a platform to impartknowledge of life's important lessons to people (especially young peopleand young adults) in a visually appealing platform where visitors learnby interacting with friends and strangers and are driven towardsgenerally healthy/good habits by a carrot-and-stick system of points.

In this example, knowledge and research from various fields (such ashealth science, medicine, food and nutrition sciences, etc.) aredistilled into key principles and formulated in an entertaininglife-like virtual reality platform.

In this example, over-commercialization of the platform is avoided. Thisexample is based on transparency and commitment to a “noble” goal ofmaking people happy and healthy, to attract people to the website.

Comprehensive Umbrella: Multiple activities (like dance studio, yogaclasses, travel/tourism, dressing a character with choice of clothes)are on one website, in one virtual world, with an overall binding themeof organic holistic living with a strong visual appeal and an optimumblend of educational purpose and entertainment. The game is easy tounderstand, and is based on wide knowledge spanning areas such ashealth, education, entertainment, clothing, lifestyles under oneplatform.

Example 2

In this inventive example, when the user does something (such as buyssomething) in the real world, the user is able to get credit in thevirtual world. Such incentives can be linked to a loyalty-based programlike a frequent shopper's program, frequent fliers program, etc.

Example 2A

In this example, when the parents buy $50 worth of groceries at areal-world organic supermarket, they get credit for 5 points for theirchild's avatar in the virtual world.

Example 2B

In this example, a user donates to a non-profit organization or an NGOthat supports community development or quality of human life for peoplein countries in Africa or Asia, or in a specific developing country, orthat supports research for diseases such as cancer or Alzheimer'sdisease, and is therefore able to get points (as an incentive) in thevirtual world.

Example 3

In this example, when a user does community service (in the real worldor virtual world), the user gets positive points in the virtual world.

It should be appreciated that variations and modifications from theembodiments set forth above may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention, and that such modifications are to beconsidered within the present invention.

1. A method of operating a virtual world useable simultaneously by aplurality of users, each user controlling a respective avatar generatedby a system operating the virtual world, comprising steps, performed bya computing device, of: for each avatar, maintaining at least oneupdatable unhealthfulness record that is expressed as a quantity, theunhealthfulness record being maintained privately by the system withoutdisplay to the user associated with the avatar; maintaining a tableincluding at least one avatar activity that can be done by an avatar,each avatar activity in the table having a predefined change to be madeto the quantity upon the activity being performed by the avatar;updating the unhealthfulness record as a function of activity by theavatar, according to the table, to a current quantity; comparing thecurrent quantity to a certain predefined value that is a restrictioncondition; and if the current quantity has reached the restrictioncondition, imposing on the avatar a heart attack or other negativemedical event, and/or other negative consequence.
 2. The method of claim1, including receiving an initial indication of body weight from a userthat characterizes the avatar controlled by the user; maintaining a bodyweight value for the avatar as an updatable record; tracking activity ofthe avatar and updating the updatable body weight value for the avatarbased on activity of the avatar.
 3. A method of operating a virtualworld useable simultaneously by a plurality of users, each usercontrolling a respective avatar, comprising steps, performed by acomputing device, of: (A) maintaining a table comprising at least onerestriction condition, wherein each restriction condition is expressedin terms of a quantity and the quantity is tabulated by the system as afunction of one or more activities in which the avatar has engaged andwhich are defined by the system as, when performed by an avatar, havinga certain predefined contribution to the quantity being tabulated for acertain restriction condition; (B) for an avatar who has engaged inactivity that is linked to a certain restriction condition, computing arecord for the avatar that is a computed quantity which computedquantity is comparable to the quantity of the restriction condition, andscreening for whether an avatar has reached the restriction condition;(C) for an avatar that has met the restriction condition, restrictingthe avatar according to a restriction, wherein the restriction isselected from the group consisting of: excluding the avatar fromaccessing certain parts of the virtual world; changing size, changingshape, or otherwise changing an appearance of the avatar with theappearance-change being only updatable by the system operating thevirtual world not by the user associated with the avatar; imposing aslow-down on the avatar or otherwise changing a capability of the avatarin a negative direction with the capability-change being only updatableby the system operating the virtual world not by the user associatedwith the avatar; subjecting the avatar to a heart attack or othernegative health event; and combinations thereof.
 4. The method of claim3, in which the restriction condition is selected from the groupconsisting of: a condition that is a definition of an avatar controlledby the user having engaged in an unhealthy consumption of food oralcohol, and upon finding that a user has met the condition, performinga restriction for the user; an anti-obesity condition that is adefinition of an avatar controlled by the user in the virtual worldconsuming more than a certain amount of calories within a certain periodof time; a DWI condition that is a definition of an avatar controlled bya user in the virtual world attempting to operate a vehicle after havingconsumed more than a certain quantity of alcohol within a certain recenttime period.
 5. The method of claim 3, including storing for each avataran updatable record for each restriction condition that indicates aquantity attributed to the avatar that is comparable to the quantity ofthe restriction condition.
 6. The method of claim 3, wherein an avatarhas a current appearance, and upon the avatar being found to have met acertain defined restriction condition, the system operating the virtualworld alters the current appearance to a changed appearance.
 7. Themethod of claim 3, including receiving an initial indication of bodyweight from a user for characterizing the avatar controlled by the user;maintaining a body weight value for the avatar as an updatable record;tracking activity of the avatar and updating the updatable body weightvalue for the avatar based on activity of the avatar.
 8. The method ofclaim 3, including receiving a real-world photograph from the user to beassociated with the avatar in the virtual world.
 9. The method of claim3, including meanwhile permitting the user to manipulate certainfeatures of the appearance of the avatar, while blocking the user fromundoing any restriction condition that is in force to the user's avatar.10. The method of claim 3, including giving the user access tomanipulate clothing and hairstyle appearance of the avatar, butmeanwhile maintaining size, shape and health-related appearance of theavatar as non-manipulable by the user.
 11. A method of operating avirtual world, comprising steps, performed by a computing device, of:operating in the virtual world at least one virtual business whichoffers for purchase at least one purchasable product or service that isoffered for purchase by an avatar in the virtual world and that whenpurchased by an avatar in the virtual world is delivered in the realworld.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the virtual world includes atleast one piece of real estate that is sponsored by a real-worldbusiness.
 13. The method of claim 11, including permitting at least oneuser to have access to the virtual world wherein the user in a form ofan avatar controlled by the user navigates the virtual world.
 14. Themethod of claim 11, wherein the virtual world is useable simultaneouslyby a plurality of users each user having an avatar.
 15. The method ofclaim 14, including operating a framework in which a plurality ofavatars have dating, friendship and/or professional networking and/orother social interactions therebetween.
 16. The method of claim 11,including receiving a virtual-world purchase instruction as submitted byan avatar, and processing the purchase instruction to cause delivery ofthe purchased good or service in the real-world to the real-world userrepresented by the avatar or to a real-world recipient designated by theavatar.
 17. The method of claim 16, including receiving a real-worldcredit card authorization at an initial time substantially in advance ofthe virtual-world purchase instruction, and associating the real-worldcredit card authorization with the avatar.
 18. The method of claim 17,including receiving a credit limit instruction to be enforced for theavatar when the avatar subsequently submits a purchase instruction. 19.The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual world includes at least onevirtual business which offers for purchase at least one purchasableproduct or service that is offered for purchase by an avatar in thevirtual world and that when purchased by an avatar in the virtual worldis delivered outside the virtual world, in a real world delivery; andwherein the method comprises: via the virtual business, receiving apurchase order by an avatar; processing the avatar's purchase order andcausing the real world delivery.
 20. The method of claim 19, includingcausing the real-world shipment and delivery of real-world goods. 21-46.(canceled)